


A Family Portrait

by trishjames



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Child's Perspective, Children, Drabble, Family Issues, Implied Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy - Freeform, Implied divorce, Infidelity, Other, Past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, family pictures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 02:52:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18437522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trishjames/pseuds/trishjames
Summary: If only her daddy would turn back around, Lily Luna would promise him she'd be a better daughter.





	A Family Portrait

**Author's Note:**

> I...have no words concerning the 'why' for this short angsty fic, haha. Story and title inspired by P!nk's _Family Portrait._ A big thank you to [saphira_black](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saphira_black/pseuds/saphira_black) for betaing<3!

 

 

The day her daddy left, Lily Luna Potter turned to her mummy and asked if they all had to change their last name now.

 

Her mummy had turned away from her sharply, her hand coming up to cover her face as she sobbed. Lily had stood frozen to the spot, her eyes going wide at the wild sounds coming from her mummy. Mummy had not answered her, she had just walked away from her, and Lily had heard a door slam and lock seconds later. Lily had clenched her stuffed plush puffskein, Boopy, to her chest and instead turned to the open door to watch as her daddy walked down their winding pathway and disappear around the corner. She had wanted to cry out — to beg her daddy not to leave, to come back so she could reassure him that mummy hadn’t meant all those hurtful, nasty words that had come from her mouth. That they could still try to be a family. That she loves him, too! So much so that she’d do anything to prove it! She wanted to promise that she would be a better daughter— that she’d stop leaving her toys out and stop sucking her thumb…that she’d tell Al to stop picking his nose so much, and that James would stop pulling so many pranks when Teddy’s in town. She’d promise anything if it would just make him stay! But he was gone.

Lily had heard their voices and all the mean words they said to each other when they thought no one was awake. She saw how sad her mummy looked and how sad her daddy looked. She had seen her daddy packing up his clothes and pictures of her, Albus, and James. She had heard daddy talk about being in love with someone else. She didn’t want a step-brother, not the way Al did. She didn’t feel happy whenever Al brought up Scorp or Mr Malfoy. She didn’t know what the word _infidelity_ meant, but how her mummy had said it — well, it sounded like a bad word, and doors in the house would always slam shut after someone said the word. And how mummy would say it — over the Floo to Auntie Mione, or over tea with gramma, or to daddy’s face —always made Lily’s eyes burn and become blurry.

James had said — ‘well at least we’ll have two of everything now.’ But she didn’t think having two separate homes or two separate Christmases or birthdays was such a fun idea. Lily’s thumb had found its way to her mouth as she slowly pushed shut the front door, knowing her daddy would not change his mind and turn around. That he wouldn’t come back to at least hug her and say goodbye. She’d be embarrassed, anyway, because he’d see her sucking her thumb and know just how silly she is. She’s happy, though, that her brothers aren’t around to laugh at her for being such a big baby. She pulled her thumb from her mouth and wiped the spit on her trousers.

Lily told herself that she must be a big girl now—that her mummy will need her to be strong and be someone that will make sure her brothers aren’t too loud and too rowdy, like daddy used to do to ‘spare mummy’s nerves.’ She’d do everything right from now on. She’d make sure her daddy doesn’t forget her ever again— never forget a goodbye or a hug ever again — even if that meant that she’d have to be extra nice to Scorp and Mr Malfoy. She could do it, she _would_ do it.

As she made her way to her bedroom, she realised just how quiet the house is now. With James at Hogwarts, Al with Scorp, she’s all alone. She stopped by a small side table in the living room and stared at a picture of her family from her fourth birthday three summers ago. They had celebrated in gramma and grandad’s garden. Her daddy and mummy were smiling so hard at each other, and James, Albus and her were smiling, too, and waving at the camera. Lily wanted to go back to that day. Everyone had been so happy, and daddy had given her Boopy, her stuffed puffskein that day.

She knew that things would never be the same again. But she’d take new family portraits if it meant that one day they could all be one big happy family again.


End file.
